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Chevrolet Avalanche Care and Maintenance

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Comments

  • houstonguyhoustonguy Member Posts: 2
    Earliers posts implied that after 7500 dealer would perform tire rotation and wheel balance at no cost...is this correct? If there is a cost, what is it?
    Thanks!
  • belljobelljo Member Posts: 15
    Anyone know how often the transfer case fluid should be replaced? I hear every 30K, but can not find anything in the chevy manual.
  • GSBGSB Member Posts: 3
    Bought my 02 AV in August 02 (4WD 3.73 rear). Best mileage to date is 16.6 mpg all highway (70-75 mph)for 300 miles. Most driving is mixed city/highway and averages 12.0 to 13.0 mpg which is way below the 15 mpg I expected for this type of driving. EPA rating is 13/17.

    I have towed a 4000 lb trailer and got about 12.5 mpg which I consider reasonable. However, the last three tanks of gas I have averaged about 10 mpg which I consider lousy. These tanks included a mix of city/highway with occasional auto 4WD selected (10-20% of driving time). Recent outside temps 25F to 35F.

    I'm looking for reasons for the low mileage. My AV is running smooth. No misses noted with good all around driveability. Could the front hubs be locked? What about an emissions controls system problem? Cold temps? Any ideas why my mileage is so lousy?
  • loyalfan1loyalfan1 Member Posts: 5
    My Av is smoking upon start-up occasionally and I have read messages on this board about a Chevy service bulletin for this problem and replacement of pvc valve as the cure. My dealer claims to have no knowledge of this bulletin and said if I could provide him with it they would honor it. Can anyone tell me where I might find this bulletin? Thanks.
  • ygmnygmn Member Posts: 179
    EDMUNDS should have links to TSB for the AVALANCHE.......
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Click on "Edmunds Maintenance Guide" under "Helpful Links".
  • dcrislerdcrisler Member Posts: 118
    What is wrong with the other site you visit??
  • ygmnygmn Member Posts: 179
    Well the FAN turned into FUN people.....

    I still love my AVY after 2 years.....still feels and thank god smells new..............

    My only complaint is the 2002 faded cladding.....I think the reason CHEVY changed the cladding on 2003 is due to this fading....I will probably change it out when I run out of things to do around the house and to the truck...

    See ya
  • imaniguanaimaniguana Member Posts: 19
    The fading cladding seemed to be a hit or miss thing on 02s. Some people had a problem, while others didn't.

    A guy in my neighborhood had his faded bed panels replaced only to have the replacements fade again. For some reason the dealer charged him for the panels both times. This should be under warranty.
  • tetter39tetter39 Member Posts: 1
    I have owned my Avalanche for 1 year 5 months. At 15,000 miles -still under warranty - the panels began to fade. Dealer said that GM was working on a fix for the problem. Now at 29,000 miles, and lots of talking to GM, they informed me that it was an environmental problem and they would not replace the panels. They would do a ONE TIME chemical treatment of some sort to try to bring the color back, but then I was on my own. I am furious with GM, and will tell anyone not to buy the Avalanche because it will do the same thing eventually. Please contact me if anyone else is having this problem. My vehicle is still under warranty, so what good is the warranty? Will never buy another GM product again. Have also seen others like this on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
  • ygmnygmn Member Posts: 179
    I have seen this gray plastic fade on all makes of vehicles...Jeeps, Pontiac, Ford etc etc...

    It fades more when on horizontal surface.....

    This is not just a GM problem....but a material choice problem by manufacturers....

    you canhide the problem...and this is what GM is now doing by applying some expensive stuff that last about 4-6 months....Armo dillo....

    I for one just clean truck and apply some eagle 1 tire shine or similar about every 4-8 weeks depending on rains and washings.....

    Good Luck
  • mr620mr620 Member Posts: 60
    Hi all. I have finally plunk down a deposit on a 04 av. It would be a waste to let my gm points evaporate Anyway, it's a Z71, i didn't add too many things else as i'll be the sole driver. I got some questions if you guys don't mind:

    1. In canada, on the Z71 package, do i get the G-80 differential automatically? I see in the US it's an option but in canada, that option is not on the selection menu.

    2. Should i spend the extra 800 CAD (600 USD) to have the av coated with anti corrosion, fabric protection and lusterglazed (some sort of polymer clear coat on the paint) ??

    Thanks
  • twotekstwoteks Member Posts: 5
    The dealer installed rust protection, fabric, etc. are dealer profit centers and have small value to you.
    Manufacturers sometimes recommend against rust protection. The frame of my "03 AV is already coated with something.
    Buy a few cans of "Scotchguard" for the interior and do it yourself. Same goes for the paint protection; there are plenty of polymer sealers for clearcoat paints out in the market. A few hours of your time and less than 30USD you can accomplish the same thing the dealer is selling. I've done this to my vehicles and have been pleased with the results.
    There are two online Avalanche clubs that have a wealth of info about your new truck.
    Good luck.
  • mr620mr620 Member Posts: 60
    Twoteks, your advice makes sense, thanks. I have call around some detailing shops here and the costs is about 50%-60% of dealer. In the end,i think i'll follow your advice. I had chosen the cladded hardware so i think this would be like anti corrosion for my purpose.
  • wispeerwispeer Member Posts: 1
    Have a tear in the lower section of the rear bumper of my 2005 Avalance. Is there an epoxy or glue that can be used to repair the tear?
  • ralphie2ralphie2 Member Posts: 7
    I use Armor Dillo TS-1. The stuff works very well, and lasts at least 3 months. TS-1 is GM approved. If your Av is still under warranty you can have the dealer apply it at no cost.
  • avalanche5avalanche5 Member Posts: 4
    Anybody ever use one of these? I need to remove my door panels but I don’t want to break the clips.

    https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/pc-13982-758-7866-lisle-trim-panel-remover-35060.aspx
  • andromadorandromador Member Posts: 2
    I have a 03 AV and use Meguiar's Cleaner Wax and often get some on my cladding. I use a dry tooth brush to remove it.
  • blesseuerblesseuer Member Posts: 12
    So what is the latest consensus on GM replacing plastic?
    My '05 bed cover panels and cladding over the rear window
    is starting to fade quick. the plastic on either side of
    the bed cover are fine?
    Any luck getting them replaced? or will they at least
    still put the protectant on it once?
  • mheff1mheff1 Member Posts: 3
  • mheff1mheff1 Member Posts: 3
    Upon taking ownership of my first 2005 Avalanche the previous owner was demostrating how the tail gate lock work. After a couple of unlocks and locks it is now stuck in the lock position. Would have anyone else heard about this problem:

    mheff
  • robey17robey17 Member Posts: 2
    You don't need to buy any specialty tools...Go to www.Carstereoremoval.com and for $4.99 they will give you step by step instructions on how to remove the door panel.
  • chadxchadx Member Posts: 153
    Other than parking in one's vehicle in your garage to protect it from the sun and weather, the best thing to protect it is good old fashioned cleaning and maintenance. The bed cover and other plastic from fading is using wipe on protectants, particularly with UV protection. Consider it part of normal maintenance along with washing and waxing the paint, cleaning and protection your dashboard, etc. Granted some plastics and paints are more suseptable to fading, but a little maintenance goes a long way to help prolong the looks and performance of even 'problem' plastics and paints.
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    I previously owned a 2004 Avalanche Custom (long story), but now own a 2005 Avalanche with standard tonneau and textured plastic panels (non-cladded).

    They were fading something fierce. There IS a TSB for the fading plastic and the Chevy dealer should have it. The information can be found at the link below:

    Fading black panels

    I had this done to my Avalanche and it looks like a brand new Avy now! IF you can get the dealer to do it (mine did), it is great. If they won't you can STILL buy the products and do it yourself.

    http://www.gatorbackcoatings.com/home.htm

    Hope this helps people!

    -Paul
  • garthwgarthw Member Posts: 15
    edited August 2010
    I'm having problems with my Cladding ! It is fadding BIG TIME ! A good friend of mine has an 04 Avalanche (Same year as mine). He had the same problem, He is currently talking with the Dealer and trying to work out a solution to the problem ?
    Does anybody have any solutions, or contacts to try and get this problem solved ?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    See my previous post.

    Gatorback.

    -Paul
  • mtnbudmtnbud Member Posts: 1
    How do I clean and protect from fading the cladding on my 2011?
  • obxbumnobxbumn Member Posts: 1
    Hi All, I didn't drive my 2003 Avalanche for about a week and a mouse decided to make a nest in the under-hood fuse box. Of course he was hungry and chewed a few wires and made a mess of things. Nice!

    To make it short..... two wires were visibly bare and may have (probably) shorted together. My symptom is the drivers door window will not work and the drivers door will electrically lock but not unlock.

    I re-insulated the bare wires and verified the window motor works by directly connecting 12v to it. The driver's door controls has 12v going to it and works the other windows and mirrors. I checked all the fuses in the under-hood, driver's door and driver's floor fuse boxes and nothing was blown.

    I decided to order a set of driver's door controls from ebay and the ebay replacement symptoms are exactly the same as the original parts. Grrr...

    Does anyone know where else to look for the culprit? Maybe some other controller or hidden relay or something I might be missing??

    Any help is appreciated!
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